The GF and I have been thinking about taking a weekend trip over to Galena and then riding the Great River road. I have googled the area and have found a bunch of great stuff to see. Just wondering if anyone has any personal advice/expierence for the area. Also possibly recommending a good place to stay for folks on a budget...I appreciate your help. Thanks

We rode the Kettle Moraine this past weekend in Wisconsin and had a blast!

 

Do a search in here, lots of Galena info, it's a popular destination.

Poopy's is a must stop.
Durty Gurt's in Galena is a friendly burger joint with good cheap food.

Take Blackjack Rd down towards Hanover, then 84 either down to Clinton or the Quad Cities. You can circle back on 67 back to Savannah, or 67 then 52 up to Dubuque.

I don't know what your budget for a room is, but if it isn't a busy weekend you might be able to get a deal on a bed and breakfast in town. Lots of those in historic homes that serve a great breakfast. Sometimes the cost of the room is worth the savings on breakfast. If you don't want to spend that much, there is a Best Western, a Ramada, and a Country Inn and Suites all in town that you should be able to get into for $80-95/night.

 

I think he meant Poopys and yes +1 on that place. Good food and lots of cool t-shirts and things in the gift shop....

http://poopys.com/

 

I was just there on Saturday. No rooms available in Galena. Ended up in Dubuque (about 15 minutes west), and checked with like 7 hotels and finally found a place. Both of those cities seem rather busy in the summer.

Galena is definitely a quaint little town, and probably better with a female companion than a bunch of dudes riding along (i.e. it seems like a romantic little town). But some good riding and full of other bikers.

 

Yep don't mix those up. Poopsies is a store in Galena, Poopys is a biker bar in Savanna, IL. Tons of B and B's around town, I have stayed at Chestnut Ski resort in off season, reasonably priced. Like Southpaw says lots of shops and walking with the wife while off the bike. Enjoy the food lots of great restaurants.

 

Across from Savannah, IL is Sabula, IA. If you camp you can stay for 16 bucks a night. And very romantic on the shore of the Mississippi. Home style diner downtown is a hole- in- the- wall gem. Homemade salads and catfish.
http://www.mycountyparks.com/county/...akes-Park.aspx

 

depending what time you leave and where in wisconsin you are we will say near the dells. its gonna be about an hour and a half too galena. so say you get there around 9 let her shop for about 2 or 3 hrs. you can get to poopies in savana and have lunch. or have lunch in galena. you can camp at poopies on some weekends or all im not sure i dont camp. anyhow if you want to ride the river road. i would strongly suggest staying on the illinois side. its a straight shot from poopies all the way to the quad cities. if you stay on 84. you can take 84 to 92 and stay at a radisson by the john deere commons. there are some pretty good places to eat there. like johns steak house or the chop house. both are pricey. there are a few nice bars around there with food as well. it really depends the kind of hotel you want and what your wanting to do. weather its staying near galena or going further south.

currently in the qc we are about to have the bix jazz fest and the mississippi valley fair. when your up near galena savana area you can got to palicades park. blackjack rd, poopies, dubuque has a gambling boat if you go that way. j&p cycles open house is this weekend in anamosa. its about 2 hrs from galena maybe. other then that unless you go to like the qc or stay in dubuque there isnt alot. but you said you wanted to ride the grr so i would just get on 84 till you hit the qc and find a room when you get there. you wont have a problem finding a room. might be a long first day but from poopies to the qc i can do it in about an hour riding about 60 on the illinois side. and you get to avoid clintons smell.

 

Galena is great, we do the area several times a year. For a really good scenic , off the beaten path , ride, take the back road out of Galena to New Digging , this is a biker destination and will be lots of fun. I dont remember the road you can find it on the map easy. This ride takes about 45 minutes and can be kind of on the way to Dubuque. Theses are all great little blacktop roads. Sunday afternoons the area is hopping

 

Thanks guys. I really appreciate all the recommendations. We are really looking forward to a couple of days of riding and now we have the scoop of where to go.we keep ya posted.

 

Went through there yesterday, going south. Came from Fennimore, Wi area, over 10 inches of rain in the area. Some of the letter roads were closed, mud slides, water. Depending when your getting there, you may wish to call. When not so soggy, SW WI is a great place to ride, all the way to Lacrosse area, my home range.